Warning over Gallipoli passes

A TRAVEL company in New Zealand has been wrongly offering people a guaranteed place at the centenary Anzac Day events at Gallipoli in 2015.

The New Zealand Defence Force says just 2000 Kiwis will be given tickets to the official Gallipoli commemorations, and they will have to go through an official ballot.

But the travel company has in the past two weeks been guaranteeing places at the commemorations as part of a tour package, veterans affairs general manager Rick Ottaway said.

"No attendance passes have been allocated to tour companies," he said.

"The only way for New Zealanders and Australians to guarantee attendance at the official Gallipoli 2015 commemorations is by obtaining an attendance pass through the official ballot."

He said the company has since amended its promotion.

A Defence Force spokesman was unable to name the company.

An attendance cap of 10,500 people was set for Gallipoli commemorations. Australia was allocated 8000 places and New Zealand 2000, with 500 places for official representatives, most of which will go to Turkish government representatives and Turkish veterans of other wars.